Hanging camera painting

 In painting class this week, I brought Noelle's disposable underwater camera. It was suggested that I hang it by its strap so I did. About half way through, I noticed that the strap, which was extremely dry and cracking, had broken. The camera was still resting where I'd arranged it.

Lori and I visiting dad

I popped in to visit with dad today. He was out walking the hall and the two of us sat in a quiet corner of the dining hall. Lori arrived a few minutes later and we caught up. Dad was in a good mood. 
 

Mother's Day and sorting Munchkin

Mother's day. William drew a bizarre but sweet card. We had brunch. Later I followed through on a suggestion of William's to sort the Munchkin cards for the first time since we started buying them at least ten years ago. We have about 35 different sets. 

 

Cards with dad

 I brought a deck of cards when I visited dad. I dealt him a cribbage hand and he seemed pleased and went through the cards over and over but never played. 

boring is good

 Sometimes I like to paint the most dynamic angles of a camera than I can. Other times I do the opposite, painting a very straight on, unimaginative angle. I just did this with a box camera and I'm very pleased with the result. 

Perogies with mom

 Mom asked me to come help with perogies tonight. Right from the start, it was very difficult. The potato and chees mix was thin/runny  and very sticky. If you touch it, which you must, it sticks to your fingers and makes it hard to pinch the dough. After much discussion, mom finally realized that the cheese was low fat, which is terrible for most cooking projects. Made 9 dozen anyway. 

Painting and William's first cheesecake

Painted with Lori this morning. Then this evening we brought desert over to mom's. I walked William through making a cheesecake last night. It turned out really well. Chocolate with some amaretto and a bit of grand marnie in the glaze. 

 

Sharon in town

 Had supper with Sharon at Viet Tai. She's in town for three days to visit mom and dad. 

Film Rescue

 We drove out to Indian Head and dropped off film at Film Rescue. Got a chance to talk to Greg for a couple of minutes but he was monitoring a machine and couldn't take a break. Will need to go back later in the summer. 

Crocus watch

Out to the valley for a drive and a hunt for the first crocus flowers of spring. Out favorite site seemed a bit dry and they were fading, but a nearby hill had many. 

 

Radical Stitch at MacKenzie Art Gallery

Curator talk at the MacKenzie today with Sherry Farrell Racette, Michelle Lavallee, and Cathy Mattes. Tremendous show with about 50 artists. The talk was on the free day so there were lots of people. I'll go back another day when the whole place is more quiet to look more closely at everything. 
 

Fourth Year Film screening

 First public face to face screening of graduating film student films since 2019 took place last night. Program was shorter than I had expected and perhaps less fanfare and talking. Brian's last students, which was not spoken of. Link to program on the code above. 

Visit dad

 Dad's shoes were wet so he had to come walking in socks today. He wanted me to stay with him at supper but of course I couldn't. 

Back to painting class

 I want to do some adjustments on this painting, my first of the new term for Balkwill course, but I had a full docket of meetings this afternoon beginning with meeting with Katherine Ricketts about the Fifth Parallel show this September so I had to leave early and will need to come back to the bottom edge later. 

New drawing project?

 William has been finished school work for about 4 days now and is floating some ideas for a graphic story about Liches. Drew something this evening. 

Second year film screening

 I missed the third year film screening a few days ago due to being in a meeting (that I called, so fault is with me) but took in the short dramas made by the second years streamed on Youtube. 

Visit dad

 I was finally allowed to visit dad in his care home. He was generally in a good mood but also seemed a bit unhappy with people around him. Overall, I don't think there were as many people as I'd expected. Walking up and down the hallway, there was only one other guy doing the same. Others had collected in a tv room and in the eating area but dad didn't want to sit there. Most were probably in their own rooms. I could see some people sleeping on their couches or chairs from the doorways. 

Turkey supper with Allan

 I roasted my "on sale at easter" turkey and we had Allan over to eat and re-teach us how to play Mysterium (the reduced, and more focused "Mysterium Park" version which was Margaret and William's Christmas gift to me this  year). Lots of fun. I think we really understand it finally. 

Margaret at Last Mountain gallery

We drove out for the reception of Martha Cole's touring OSAC exhibition of banners that she made in collaboration with a group of artists (including Margaret Bessai) a few years ago. We missed the big group of everyone but were able to see Martha and Sharon Eisbrenner. 

 

Darke Hall

 Huge reception for re-opening of Darke Hall. Fantastic food and conversations, although the Dean and probably a few faculty members ended up sick and unable to attend. The performances were peppered with the obligatory praising of the space and thanks to sponsors and individuals who made everything possible. The performances themselves were a mixed lot and included a fantastic performance by Katherine Dowling. 

Fred at dentist

 While university ended a week ago, our time is still tremendously full. I've been chairing a search committee which should wrap soon. Margaret has many family responsibilities including taking her dad to the dentist. 

Covid tests

 More and more people are testing positive. We've been to many public events over the past week or two but still testing negative.

Allan visit

 Allan usually runs a game on Monday but, perhaps because it is Easter Monday, not enough people joined to make it viable to he canceled and ended up bringing over a book for us and hung out for the evening talking about time travel. 

Leslea and Leif visit

In town amid a snow storm for just one night, we got to host brunch for Leslea, Leif, Brianna, and Teagan for a couple of hours on Sunday morning. With supper having be held last night, it left the rest of the day open to relax. 
 

Easter Dinner at Lori's

Supper at Lori's. Dad couldn't come because his new home is in lockdown so no one has even been able to visit him. 

 

New/Old project

 Last week while looking for something else in my office, I found a roll or ray-o-grams on 35mm that I'd made a few years ago but done nothing with. Today I started scanning it and finding some beautiful elements within. Perhaps I'm make it into a new short, but probably under two minutes. The title and the sound are up in the air until I see it all in motion. 

more painting

 Painted a second angle of this standard 8 camera from Daryle Young. Also finally finished listening to my main alphabetized collection of vinyl records. There are still some collections, comedy, spoken word, classical, and other oddball lps in the other rack, but this was the main goal for my listening. 

Snow returns

 Yesterday I spread the last of the ice from the backyard around so that it would melt and be gone. Today it snowed and appears it will stay for a few days at least. 

Calm evening with tea

 Made green tea in our stainless steel pot and drank it with raison toast while watching some Bridgerton. 

Return to painting

 First painting in about a month. Grading is done. 

William's map project

 William finished his last art project for the term for his landscape course. It had to include a map and he created a treasure map and I acted as the person following the map for his video of the site specific demonstration. It was really cold out. When we dug up the treasure he'd burred, the box was empty. A mother with kids nearby revealed that her kids dug it up but she made them return it, but it was now missing the contents. 

Magic Lantern workshop

I watched a talk by Charlotte Pryce who was presented her experiences creating magic lantern shows. This was hosted by Lisa Marr and Echo Park. Triggered many new ideas including a hope to build some sort of hand crank mechanical slide. 

Lunch with students

 

Last day of teaching for the term. While not everyone was able to come, I was able to sit down with four of the grad students from my 831 class and have lunch at Mei Wei and talk about other stuff for a while.